The present invention relates to an apparatus for continuously supplying sheets from supply rolls, suitably used to supply a wrapping film sheet to, for example, a wrapping machine. The film sheet is normally available in a wound form, i.e., in the form of supply roll. A film sheet supplied from a supply roll is supplied to a wrapping machine. The length of the film sheet supplied from each supply roll is definite. If the supply roll becomes empty, the empty roll must be replaced with a full one. In order to perform roll replacement, an apparatus disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Disclosure (Kokai) No. 56-124633 is known.
This prior-art apparatus has a pair of supply rolls. While one roll is in use, i.e., while the film sheet is supplied from this supply roll, the other supply roll is held in a waiting state. Particularly, a predetermined length of the film sheet is fed in advance from the waiting supply roll, and the distal end of this film sheet is guided to a connection position near the supply path of the film sheet currently supplied. Since the waiting supply roll is provided in this apparatus, the distal end of the film sheet from the waiting supply roll is connected to the film sheet of the supply roll in use when the remaining length of the film sheet in use is less than a predetermined value. Thereafter, the film sheet from the supply roll in use is cut between the supply roll of its own and the connection position. The film sheet from the waiting supply roll can then be fed to the wrapping machine instead of the film sheet from the roll in use. According to the apparatus described above, feeding of the film sheet to the wrapping machine can be automatically replaced from one supply roll to the other supply roll.
When the waiting supply roll is loaded in the apparatus for continuously supplying sheets, the distal end of this film sheet is normally adhered to the outer surface of the supply roll by an adhesive tape. In the conventional apparatus, the adhesive tape must be manually removed from the waiting supply roll in order to guide the distal end of the film sheet to the connection position.
Demand has thus arisen for automatic removal of the adhesive tape from the supply roll. In order to satisfy this demand, various proposals have been made. However, no conventional apparatuses satisfy this requirement in practice.